Professional Documents
Culture Documents
New informoiion lechnology ollows eosy disseminotion of informotion on reproductive procedures in foreign countries.
lnternotionol trovel currently more comfortoble ond offordoble.
IVF clinics in certoin countries ore now octively seeking potients from foreign countries through odvertisements in oirline
mogozines or internotionol sotelliie TV chonnels.
Feriiliiy centers now offer convenient oll-inclusive pockoges thot include not only ihe reproductive procedures, but olso flighi
tickets, escorted tronsfer, hotels, interpreters ond locol recreotionql tours.
The internet ollows o very cost-effeciive ond efflcient woy for poiients to compore the foreign clinic's services ond unique
merits in terms of cost, expertise in reproductive technologies ond locol policies.
Pregnancy Loss, single parents, as well as les-
bian and gay couples from abroad. In the year
2004, out of a total of '120 cycles, 9 cycles
were done for patients coming from abroad
(7.5%). Out of these 9 cycles, 3 (33.3%) cy- most three times as much, increasing the vironment and ethnic background. The most
cles were of regular lVF, 1 of lCSl (1 1.1%) and chances of success in the first attempt itself. controversial aspect of reproductive tourism is
5 (55.6%) of Donor Egg lVF. ln 2005, the per- One of the biggest attractions offered by ln- when it takes place in order to seek services
centage of cycles for patients from abroad in- dian ART clinics is maternal surrogacy. The ln- that are locally banned for religious of ethical
creased Io 10.6% (17/160). Of these, 5 dian Council for Medical Research permits reasons (Table 2). Since the demand for the
(29.4%) were regular IVF cycles, 2 (11.8%o) surrogates to claim monetary compensation in ability to become a parent is extremely strong
were lCSl, 7(41 .2%) were Donor Egg lVF, addition to routine expenses and antenatal it is very doubtful that new laws and regula-
2(11.8o/o) were for Surrogacy and 1(5.8%) for care, a facility not provided for by many coun- tion are likely to succeed in limiting interna-
lUl. ln 2006, out of a total of 200 cycles,30 tries. This makes it easier for couples to find tional travel for reproductive services. This is
(15.0%) were done for overseas patients. Of willing surrogate mothers in India. The especially true among those barred from
these, 7 (23.3%) were IVF cycles, 3('l 0.0%) number of surrogate births here has more treatment in their own country including sin-
were lCSl cycles, 1 1(36.7o/o) were Donor Egg than doubled in the past two years. lndian gle women, homosexual men and women or
IVF cycles, 7 (23.3o/o) were for Surrogacy and ART centers are also willing to treat women older women. Even more contentious repro-
2 (6.7%) were for lUl. who have been deemed too old or overweight ductive services, including sex selection, sur-
by the British National Heath Service (NHS) for rogacy and egg donation are likely to follow
CONCLUSIONS IVF treatment. Consequerltly lndian clinics are the laws of demand even if unacceptable to
Cheaper prices, high-quality health care and performing a growing number of IVF treat- many. As long as some people are determined
the availability of donor eggs and surrogates ments for foreigners frustrated with disap- to obtain certain reproductive services such as
are drawing an increasing number of couples pointing results and soaring costs at home. donated eggs or surrogate wombs, and oth-
to Thailand, Eastern Europe, Russia, China Medical tourism in IVF serves couples in ers are willing to sell them, the trade will be
and lndia. ln the English-speaking world, lndia many ways. It allows patients to seek centers impossible to stop. So it makes better sense
has a big advantage because of the availabili- with better results and often at more afforda- to regulate the business than io drive it un-
ty of English-speaking doctors. The real bene- ble prices. Occasionally international travel derground or to limit it to countries, like the
fit for many couples is relaxed laws. Whereas merely presents the wish of immigrants to re- USA, where few limitations exist but repro-
countries such as UK allow only two embryos turn to their country of origin in order to re- ductive procedures are affordable only to a
to be transferred, in lndia this number is al- ceive care within a more supportive family en- selected group of very well-off people. t(